An Ohio University police lieutenant has filed a lawsuit against the university and its police department for allegedly failing to pay all of his wages while on paid administrative leave.
Lt. Christopher Johnson was placed on paid administrative leave from Aug. 2, 2012 to July 26, 2013 while OU investigated allegations of his inappropriate on-duty misconduct, according to the court documents.
Johnson, a Nelsonville resident, filed the lawsuit June 2 in the U.S. District Court’s Southern District of Ohio, claiming OU and its police department violated the The Fair Labor Standards Act Of 1938.
During his leave, Johnson was required to be available by telephone to OU during the university’s business hours -- a total of 45 hours each week, the documents state, adding that during that time that Johnson was “engaged to be waiting.”
The court documents state that Johnson was paid for 40 hours per week during his nearly year-long time off and that Johnson earns $32.84 per hour from OU as a base salary.
Johnson is asking for “back pay,” “pre/post-judgement interest” on all awarded amounts, plus reimbursement for attorney fees and court costs.
In the documents, Johnson argues that he “suffered injury and damages” as a result of the way the university paid his wages.
